Prosecutors Track Accounts of Former President Moon Jae-in and Spouse...Ex-Son-in-Law Suspected of 'Preferential Hiring' at Airline

Prosecutors investigating allegations of 'preferential hiring' at an airline involving Seo, the son-in-law of former President Moon Jae-in, have begun analyzing the flow of funds provided to the family of Moon's daughter, Dahye, through tracing the financial accounts of the former president and his wife.

According to the legal community on the 16th, the Criminal Division 3 of the Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Han Yeon-gyu) recently obtained and executed a search warrant from the court to trace the financial accounts of former President Moon and his wife, Kim Jung-sook. This marks the first time in about four years since the complaint regarding Seo's preferential hiring was filed that prosecutors have launched a compulsory investigation into the former president and his wife in connection with this case.

It is reported that prosecutors are currently verifying when and to what extent the former president and his wife financially supported Dahye's family by analyzing the seized account details.

Prosecutors suspect that the former president and his wife, who had been providing living expenses to Dahye and her husband whose income was irregular, arranged for Seo to be employed as an executive at the Thai low-cost airline Thai Vietjet in July 2018, enabling him to receive a salary.

Former President Moon Jae-in and his wife, Kim Jung-sook.

In September 2020, the People Power Party filed a complaint with prosecutors, alleging a quid pro quo relationship, noting that after Lee Sang-jik, the founder of Eastar Jet and a former lawmaker, was appointed as the head of the Small and Medium Business Corporation in March 2018, Seo?who had no practical experience in the airline industry?was hired as an executive director at Thai Vietjet, a low-cost airline established by Lee.

Seo was questioned three times this year as a witness but exercised his right to remain silent each time. Prosecutors have since announced that they are considering changing Seo's status to that of a suspect.

A prosecutor stated, "Based on the account tracing warrant issued by the court, we are conducting the investigation cautiously within the minimum necessary scope to ascertain the substantive truth," adding, "It is difficult to disclose other details regarding the progress of the investigation."